Wireless communication may be conducted using, in general, cellular and/or non-cellular technologies. Cellular technologies include, for example, wideband code division multiple access, WCDMA, long term evolution, LTE, and 5G. Non-cellular technologies include, for example, wireless local area network, WLAN, and worldwide interoperability for microwave access, WiMAX.
In wireless communication, a wireless connection between a user equipment and a base station, or access point, may be arranged to convey information in the uplink and downlink. The uplink direction proceeds from the user equipment toward the network, and the downlink direction proceeds from the network toward the user equipment. A base station is a term used in connection with cellular technologies, while access point is a term employed frequently when discussing non-cellular technologies.
Some user equipments, such as smartphones, have the ability to select a technology to use from a plurality of available choices. For example, to download a large file, a smartphone may choose to select a non-cellular technology, and to place a voice call the same smartphone may choose to select a cellular technology. Non-cellular technologies may offer high data rates, while cellular technologies may be designed to support mobility and guaranteed quality of service.
Information communicated over cellular or non-cellular connections may be ciphered. Ciphering may alternatively be referred to as encryption. Ciphering may take place at one or more layers, for example, an application may employ end-to-end ciphering, an intermediate protocol layer may employ a ciphering and an air interface may employ a further, separate ciphering, resulting in data communicated over the air interface that may be ciphered more than once, using different algorithms and keys.
Carrier aggregation may be used to facilitate communication, wherein more than one carrier is employed simultaneously to communicate information. The carriers may be of a same or differing types, and similar or differing frequency bands may be used to communicate over the carriers joined together in a carrier aggregation. The expression “dual connectivity” maybe used interchangeably with “carrier aggregation”.